Devon Part 2

So during our time in Devon we each had two days where we chose what we did and two days socialising with other people.Sunday was my first pick and we went to Clovelly.  

Decades ago, as in when I was young, we had a holiday in Devon. My sister and I were quite happy but it was a disappointment to our parents, and that must be putting it mildly because for the only time ever we came home early from a holiday. Just a day, but even so, it was a huge thing to do in those days when holidays were rare and comparatively expensive. I have some very clear memories of the time, one of the clearest was getting into a lot of trouble for getting tar on my new shorts on a beach. Since at the time I had no concept of what tar was, and failed to recognise it when it presented itself as several piled up slabs on the beach at Westward Ho! which were great for climbing on, I have thought often that being told off so comprehensively was a bit unfair, but it certainly served to fix the place in my mind. 

A happier day was the one we spent in Clovelly, and for those not acquainted with the name, Clovelly's chief claim to fame is its extremely steep main street which 'in olden days' had deliveries made by donkey rather than carts as they were too unwieldly. Not only is the street very very steep, it is also cobbled. Walking down is hell on the knees, walking back up is a cardiac work out that demands so much it may be self defeating. Access to the village is largely controlled by the trust which now own it and you therefore have to pay to go in. This was not the case when we visited before. (The trust also controls catering outlets and other shopping to the extant that the vibrant, if rather tourist trap village I remembered from my childhood is long gone and there's a sedateness and gentrified-ness about the place which strikes a surreal note. Not as surreal as Port Meirion which is totally weird and bizarre, but odd enough. 

That said there were lots of colourful things to see, and there are still donkeys there, albeit in a field at  the top of the cliff, rather than pulling heavy loads up and down it. 

It's definitely picturesque

The Cliff Top Donkeys

on the way down ...

                                               lots of colourful gardens and framed doorways

...

destination harbour ( and yes we did go all the way down)

the 'slope' back up!

and our one and only cream tea the whole week. Rather inelegantly served in a polystyrene box, courtesy of Covid, but very tasty regardless.